Friday, March 30, 2012

Tjeldstø 30 March 2012 - Gadwall relocated!

Light northerly and overcast.

Today was never going to match yesterday and despite a thorough check at Tjeldstø nothing much of note was to be found. Small numbers of the usual migrants moving through or setting up territories - now a couple of singing Song Thrush måltrost present, a small flock of Fieldfare gråtrost dropped in, new Meadow Pipits heipiplerke continue to arrive and Siskin grønnsisik numbers at the feeder increased - the latter mirroring the situation in the Shetlands.

The first Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke I have seen this year also turned up, the first for Øygarden were reported about a week ago.

Hordaland's keenest twitcher predictably made the trip out and relocated the Gadwallsnadderand pair on Husvatnet at Alvheim (rather than the lake of the same name at Tjeldstø). This tied in very well with the direction the birds disappeared in yesterday.

Evening update:
It seems that the Gadwall pair are shuttling between Rotevatnet at Tjeldstø and Husvatnet at Alvheim as they were seen on Rotevatnet yesterday evening. They must have moved back to Alvheim during the night. Obviously anyone trying for these birds should check both localities.